Dioramas

[Dave Cooper 6Participant @davecooper6]

In these cold winter days, I'm mainly reduced to indoor pursuits. I was just thinking about a possible model boat diorama though…

Available supporting pieces are in the following scales : 1/72, 1/43 and 4mm:1 foot (model railway).

I'd be interested to hear of any other scenes being modelled.

I'm wondering about a sub' just surfacing – perhaps nearing a supply or hospital ship.

Merry Christmas all

[Dave Cooper 6Participant @davecooper6]

Ideas and Scales

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

Unless a huge amount of space is available, for anything involving a submarine and a supply or hospital ship, a smaller scale might be a good idea. Maybe N at about 2mm/ft. or 1:144.

[Dave Cooper 6Participant @davecooper6]

Hi Malcolm

It seems that (kit-wise) most of the 'big stuff' falls in the 1/400, 1/500 or 1/600 scale areas.

I haven't researched the subs yet, but, I think a ship model of around 12-15" length overall would make a nice diorama size.

Cheers for now,

Dave

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Popular current submarine subjects seem to be in 1/72nd or 1/350th. I have seen a very interesting diorama on YouTube using a 1/350th model submarine cast in clear resin to produce an underwater diorama. The resin was cast in the shape of a bottle then polished so it looked like the whole diorama was inside a bottle. Very clever and very effective.

I think a 1/72nd submarine complete model would require quite a bit of space to create a diorama with however some of the detail sets for the Revell U-Boat could be used to create say a deck gun scene or a bridge diorama.

 

Edited By Richard Simpson on 10/12/2020 09:43:44

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

I've actually just finished a diorama for a competition entry which comprises of a quayside with a crane on it and a locomotive underneath it. The front of the box it is all sat on was made into a harbour wall, which could have easily had a ship of a submarine against it.

Also worth looking at are the Accurate Armour resin parts to enhance the Revel U-Boat. These could be used on their own to support diorama building.

Edited By Richard Simpson on 10/12/2020 09:44:19

[Dave Cooper 6Participant @davecooper6]

Hello Richard,

Very inspirational photos and ideas created in your work…

Would that be the Airfix dockside crane by any chance ? If so, I expect the loco, wagon and lorry are '00 gauge' – 1/76 or similar ?

I think, so far, I may have two ways to go :-

1. Sub' + 'Mother ship' (eg Hospital /Supply etc). In this case, they would both have to be in similar scales to "look right". I'll look at the Revell U-boat as you suggest.

2. Mixed scene of railway and marine rather like yours. One idea could be the lake ferry /railway as in the WW2 film (Heroes of Telemark ?) where the wagons are actually run onto the boat – docked so as to hold the rails in alignment. More scope here I feel as scale matching not so important.

Good luck with your competition.

Dave

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

i might start with deciding where you are going to keep it first so as to get an idea of how big you can go and thus get an idea of scale from that.

Ashley

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Hi Dave, The crane is now supplied by Dapol but it is indeed still made from the old Airfix moulds. It was a bit of a challenge to make it look anything like reasonable. The loco is a Hornby W4 Peckett, the wagon is a converted Hornby Engineer's flat with the toolbox and side rails removed and a Graupner 1/48th Corvette propeller fitted to it, and the lorry is an Oxford Diecast 1/76th scale lorry.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Lovely work Richard. We may be model boaters on here but we can all appreciate other areas of modelling too. I love dioramas but, as you say, they do take up a lot of space.

Colin

[Dave Cooper 6Participant @davecooper6]

Yes, I agree – space is an important consideration. My current 'diorama' is a working railway based on a mix of standard and narrow gauge scales (00 and 009) ie 4mm: foot or, 1/76. It's approx. 4' by 18" in size and spends most of its time propped up against a garage wall when not in use.

The actual detail work – making buildings, kits etc. is done indoors where it's nice and warm ! This is on a table-top about 3' 6" x 2' 0". So, I think this will probably fix the outer limits of my first ship-borne attempt.

Will let you know how the ideas develop…

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

that is stunning work Richard,,,,……………very impressive and amazing imaginational work.

just love this sort of thing. there used to be a man on Ships nostalgia who built dioramas of shipping and docks….whom i admired greatly, and although i like my models to work, i have great fascination and admiration for people people who have such talents.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Dave, I found the U-Boat in a bottle again!

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Many thanks for the comments Neil. The loco is actually temporarily pinched from my layout so it is an operational loco with DCC control and sound and the wagon could be used on the layout if I wanted to put that on there as well. The trouble is there would be nothing left on the diorama. I might even one day use the crane on the layout as I am planning a dry dock area and the crane, the wagon and the locomotive would all suit the period perfectly.

Just a couple more shots of the overall thing.

[Dave Cooper 6Participant @davecooper6]

Hello Richard

Thanks for the video on the sub' – a very talented modeller indeed. I note from the box art that the scale is 1/700. From memory, I think the Revell "Nimitz" a/c carrier is to this scale. Another diorama idea perhaps.

Your crane and load looks really impressive. I think Airfix (of old) did some tank engine kits which should give a 'bare framework' that is without motor /chassis but with wheels etc. which may be of use on your diorama. Another possibility is to pick up a 'non-runner' at one of the model shows or auction sites. I picked up several of mine this way (one for £5). Sometimes all they need is a new set of brushes and a clean up of the commutator.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Dave, You mean one of these! I built this purely to practise some weathering processes and thought about using it on the diorama but decided that the detail on the Hornby Peckett was much better. The Airfix 0-4-0 saddle tank moulds are probably as old as the crane, and it shows! I now mount this on a flat wagon and pull it around with a working loco.

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

Now your talking about the 0-4-0 Pug kit from the original Kitmaster range of locomotive plastic kits, my uncle made all of them back in the 1960's all built and painted, a wonderful range of short lived kits of some very interesting loco's and coaches, Airfix only re-issued a small part of the range.

My uncle's collection now reside in the museum of the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway at New Romney Station now where did I put that Dapol crane kit ??

Regards Ray

[Dave Cooper 6Participant @davecooper6]

My current diorama ("High Water&quot has a canal, narrow boat and lock in progress.

It also features a rope-worked incline to take the boat's cargo up to an adjoining goods yard. Plans are afoot to get the incline working – DPDT switch installed, pulleys and motors tested. Drive mechanism yet to do…

I'll organise a photo or two when things are a little more advanced.

Dave C

[Dave Cooper 6Participant @davecooper6]

Narrow Boat, canal and lock under construction

[Dave Cooper 6Participant @davecooper6]

1st pulley of rope-worked incline in situ (Brass – no expense spared here !)

[Dave Cooper 6Participant @davecooper6]

Just visible at the foot of the second photo are the foundations for the Winding House (also under construction). Narrow gauge scale 1/76 (009) or, 4mm:1 foot

[Author]

Posts